When you return to the U.S.
from a trip to Canada or Mexico, an expired visa
in your passport can be considered automatically extended (and converted to a different visa classification if you have changed status in the U.S.) until the date you reenter the U.S. if the following conditions are met:

You visited only Canada or Mexico

The duration of your visit was 30 days or less

You had been maintaining and intend to resume the same nonimmigrant status in the U.S. (e.g. H-1B, O-1)

You have time remaining on the period of stay for the nonimmigrant status (that is, the I-94 card, printout, or "tear-away" I-94 from the approval notice you last received will still be valid when you plan to reenter the U.S.)

You have not applied for a new visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate during this trip

If the above conditions are
met, you should be allowed to reenter the U.S. from Canada or Mexico with an expired nonimmigrant visa and a valid I-94 record (printed from the U.S. Custom and Border Protection's (CBP) I-94 website) or a valid admission stamp with notations in your passport.

You are not eligible for automatic visa revalidation if:

You have applied for and been denied a visa while outside the U.S. (including in Canada or Mexico), even if you have a valid I-94 record or admission stamp.

You are a citizen of a country on the U.S. Department of State’s list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria).

You have been in Canada or Mexico longer than 30 days. In this case, if your visa has expired, you must apply for a new visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate before you can reenter the U.S.

You have traveled to other countries in addition to Canada or Mexico. In this case, you must apply for a new visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate before you can reenter the U.S.

You have the notation
"212(d)(3)" on your U.S. visa. You must apply for a waiver of
inadmissibility if you do not hold a double or multiple entry, unexpired
visa.

Citizens from certain countries who wish to visit Canada are required to obtain a visitor’s visa (tourist visa) from the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles. You should contact the Canadian Consulate to find out whether you must obtain a visa before you can enter Canada. See the Canadian Embassy’s website for information on Canada’s visa requirements.

If
you have difficulty reentering the U.S. according to the above
instructions, please refer the CBP officer to this regulation: 22 CFR 41.112(d).

IMPORTANT: Visa application at U.S. consulates in Mexico

If you cannot meet the above requirements for automatic visa revalidation, be aware that U.S. consulates in Mexico have placed restrictions on visa application eligibility for Third Country Nationals (TCNs) (i.e. non-Mexican citizens) who are not residents of Mexico. For more information on these restrictions, see the website of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.

GENERAL DISCLAIMER: The content in this website is solely for use by University of Hawaii (UH) personnel. This website contains information that is both specific to UH and general. This information does not constitute legal advice and should not be used as the sole source for making decisions that may affect an individual’s legal status in the United States. UH makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, about the content of this website, including links to external sites. Users of this website assume the risk that information may be outdated or inaccurate. If any specific concerns arise, you should first consult with FSIS staff. If the issue is outside the scope of UH-sponsored employment-based immigration classifications, you may need to consult with an immigration attorney.